Children in 83 countries may have been affected with salmonella bacteria through contaminated baby milk following the discovery of the microorganism at a diary company in France.
The dairy firm’s CEO, Emmanuel Besnier, confirmed that more than 12 million boxes of powdered baby milk have now been recalled in the affected countries.
The salmonella scandal involving French company Lactalis affected countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa excluding the UK, U.S. and Australia.
Lawsuits have been filed by parents who say their children became unwell after drinking the formula despite reports of the recall of the product.
The products have been subject to a recall since December, after the discovery.
The Lactalis group is one of the world’s largest producers of dairy products, with annual sales of €17bn ($21bn; £15bn).
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It has 246 production sites in 47 countries and employs 15,000 people in France alone.
Recalls have now been issued by the firm three times, and cover its Picot, Milumel and Taranis brands.
Salmonella can cause severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and severe dehydration.
It can be life-threatening, especially in young children.
So far 35 cases have been reported in France and another one has been confirmed in Spain.
Source: BBC
